Eric Michael Garcia
@ericmgarcia.bsky.social
Washington Bureau chief at The Independent, MSNOW Columnist. Author: We’re Not Broken. Tar Heel. He/Him Eric.garcia@the-independent.com
Pinned
ICE dragged me from my car after I told them I’m autistic.
Exclusive Details: Aliya Rahman speaks to Eric Garcia about her ordeals — on the streets of Minneapolis, in a grim ICE detention center where she was mocked over her condition and through the public t...
www.independent.co.uk
I spoke with Aliya Rahman, the autistic woman whom ICE ripped out of her car, about her experience of being in a viral video, what she experienced in detention and why she thinks we might be in bigger trouble in the future.
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
Same with the Backstreet Boys Crypto ad
That Super Bowl Ring ad backfired spectacularly.
People on Reddit are getting Amazon to refund their Ring products because of their partnership with Flock and that creepy Super Bowl ad
www.reddit.com/r/FlockSurve...
www.reddit.com/r/FlockSurve...
February 11, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Same with the Backstreet Boys Crypto ad
Mejia told Axios that when Democrats try to meet Trump "in the middle ... you're kind of falling into this trap of accepting egregious behavior because it seems like it's halfway to where they're at, when they're all the way to crazy."
www.axios.com/2026/02/11/a...
www.axios.com/2026/02/11/a...
Scoop: Dem House candidate Analilia Mejìa won't commit to voting for Hakeem Jeffries
"I look forward to sharing my concerns," the New Jersey progressive told Axios.
www.axios.com
February 11, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Mejia told Axios that when Democrats try to meet Trump "in the middle ... you're kind of falling into this trap of accepting egregious behavior because it seems like it's halfway to where they're at, when they're all the way to crazy."
www.axios.com/2026/02/11/a...
www.axios.com/2026/02/11/a...
Reposted by Eric Michael Garcia
So the feds ARE NOT considering an mRNA vaccine for the flu, which could save countless lives, but ARE backing research into whether horse dewormer can cure cancer, because the right views vaccines as elite and ivermectin as populist.
Cool.
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
Cool.
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
FDA won’t review Moderna application for first mRNA-based flu vaccine
The decision, which shocked company officials, comes as the FDA says it will take a stricter approach to federal vaccine approvals.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:24 AM
So the feds ARE NOT considering an mRNA vaccine for the flu, which could save countless lives, but ARE backing research into whether horse dewormer can cure cancer, because the right views vaccines as elite and ivermectin as populist.
Cool.
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
Cool.
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
I fell asleep because I actually was not at the Capitol because I am sick. But the rule failed. This is a huge unqualified L for Mike Johnson.
February 11, 2026 at 11:45 AM
I fell asleep because I actually was not at the Capitol because I am sick. But the rule failed. This is a huge unqualified L for Mike Johnson.
Reposted by Eric Michael Garcia
A stunning detail the ICE chief shared in this hearing that was supposed to be a brag, except it isn't: ICE has arrested 379,000 people between Jan. 2025-Jan. 2026 -- but only 8,700 were suspected gang members or known suspected terrorists.
That's 2%! www.huffpost.com/entry/latest...
That's 2%! www.huffpost.com/entry/latest...
Congresswoman Uses Simple Math To Show How Broken ICE Is
www.huffpost.com
February 10, 2026 at 7:08 PM
A stunning detail the ICE chief shared in this hearing that was supposed to be a brag, except it isn't: ICE has arrested 379,000 people between Jan. 2025-Jan. 2026 -- but only 8,700 were suspected gang members or known suspected terrorists.
That's 2%! www.huffpost.com/entry/latest...
That's 2%! www.huffpost.com/entry/latest...
Reposted by Eric Michael Garcia
Evil men like Epstein are, in the simplest form, obsessed with eugenics because they believe that their ill-gotten gains are the product of some innate superiority.
Epstein couldn't stop emailing people about eugenics
In the latest files, the trafficker gives it a Silicon Valley–pilled name: "genetic altruism."
www.motherjones.com
February 10, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Evil men like Epstein are, in the simplest form, obsessed with eugenics because they believe that their ill-gotten gains are the product of some innate superiority.
There is no home health care industry without immigrants. Objectively
The home healthcare workforce is disproportionately comprised of immigrants, and it's certainly not because they take jobs US-born folks want. As a result, "a 25% increase in the steady state flow of immigrants to the US would result in 5,000 fewer deaths nationwide."
Is Immigration Good for Health? The Effect of Immigration on Older Adult Mortality in the United States
Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...
www.nber.org
February 11, 2026 at 2:14 AM
There is no home health care industry without immigrants. Objectively
The rule is currently 214-217. This is a corker
February 11, 2026 at 2:13 AM
The rule is currently 214-217. This is a corker
Looks like Massie, Bacon and another Republican are no votes. Remember, Johnson can’t afford to lose any votes here.
February 11, 2026 at 2:09 AM
Looks like Massie, Bacon and another Republican are no votes. Remember, Johnson can’t afford to lose any votes here.
Deleted the rule vote post because my app was screwy. Sorry
February 11, 2026 at 2:07 AM
Deleted the rule vote post because my app was screwy. Sorry
Guantanamo Bay tactics come stateside
In a win for Trump's mass deportation program, a devastating court ruling now allows for indefinite immigration detention without bond hearings. With ICE looking to scale up its detention facility capacity, people are fighting back.
The ICE Prisons and Camps Are About To Get A Lot Worse
A head-spinning appellate decision just greenlit detentions without end, supercharging an already horrific human rights crisis.
thinkbigpicture.substack.com
February 11, 2026 at 1:48 AM
Guantanamo Bay tactics come stateside
Why are we all waiting with bated breath about the rule vote? We know what will happen. Roy, Spartz, Donalds and Burchett will withhold their votes, Johnson will keep the vote open for an hour and then the rule will pass when Victoria Spartz flips
February 11, 2026 at 1:46 AM
Why are we all waiting with bated breath about the rule vote? We know what will happen. Roy, Spartz, Donalds and Burchett will withhold their votes, Johnson will keep the vote open for an hour and then the rule will pass when Victoria Spartz flips
Just over half (58%) of white evangelicals said they support most or all of Trump’s policies, down from 66% when he took office in 2025.
religionnews.com/2026/02/10/w...
religionnews.com/2026/02/10/w...
White Christian support for Trump falls but still tops that of Americans overall
(RNS) — A new Pew Research survey found that Trump’s approval ratings have dropped among major religious groups. But white Christians support the president more than other Americans.
religionnews.com
February 10, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Just over half (58%) of white evangelicals said they support most or all of Trump’s policies, down from 66% when he took office in 2025.
religionnews.com/2026/02/10/w...
religionnews.com/2026/02/10/w...
“Dad, don’t make me go back down there.”
February 10, 2026 at 10:11 PM
“Dad, don’t make me go back down there.”
Reposted by Eric Michael Garcia
I've avoided writing about The Telepathy Tapes. But with the recent appointment of 3 non-speakers to the IACC, it's time to take on facts & fallacies about autistic AAC users—and the nasty habit journalists have of questioning their communication, instead of the agendas ensnaring & tokenizing them.
For months, people have asked me about the popular Telepathy Tapes podcast, and its premise of non-speaking autistics reading minds. And I’m here to tell you: The Telepathy Tapes is a hot, complicated mess—but not for the reasons you may think. At TPGA:
thinkingautismguide.com/2026/02/the-...
thinkingautismguide.com/2026/02/the-...
The Telepathy Tapes Is Such A Hot Mess — THINKING PERSON'S GUIDE TO AUTISM
For months, people have asked me what I think of the extremely popular Telepathy Tapes podcast, and its premise of non-speaking autistics not only reading minds but bringing the world messages of love...
thinkingautismguide.com
February 10, 2026 at 12:46 AM
I've avoided writing about The Telepathy Tapes. But with the recent appointment of 3 non-speakers to the IACC, it's time to take on facts & fallacies about autistic AAC users—and the nasty habit journalists have of questioning their communication, instead of the agendas ensnaring & tokenizing them.
Reposted by Eric Michael Garcia
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com
“Should Mejia prevail, it will be because Democratic voters are dissatisfied with what many see as their party’s anemic response to Trump’s autocratic thuggery,” writes Michelle Goldberg about the congressional special election in New Jersey.
“Should Mejia prevail, it will be because Democratic voters are dissatisfied with what many see as their party’s anemic response to Trump’s autocratic thuggery,” writes Michelle Goldberg about the congressional special election in New Jersey.
Opinion | In the New Jersey Primary, ‘Abolish ICE’ Looks Like a Winning Message
Trump has thrust us into a new political world, and Democratic voters want leaders who can adapt.
nyti.ms
February 10, 2026 at 2:20 AM
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com
“Should Mejia prevail, it will be because Democratic voters are dissatisfied with what many see as their party’s anemic response to Trump’s autocratic thuggery,” writes Michelle Goldberg about the congressional special election in New Jersey.
“Should Mejia prevail, it will be because Democratic voters are dissatisfied with what many see as their party’s anemic response to Trump’s autocratic thuggery,” writes Michelle Goldberg about the congressional special election in New Jersey.
Spotted on the House side: Nydia Velázquez singing and dancing to DTMF by Bad Bunny.
Bummed I didn’t think to say, since she is retiring, “¡Ey, ojalá que los míos nunca se muden!”
Bummed I didn’t think to say, since she is retiring, “¡Ey, ojalá que los míos nunca se muden!”
February 10, 2026 at 2:12 AM
Spotted on the House side: Nydia Velázquez singing and dancing to DTMF by Bad Bunny.
Bummed I didn’t think to say, since she is retiring, “¡Ey, ojalá que los míos nunca se muden!”
Bummed I didn’t think to say, since she is retiring, “¡Ey, ojalá que los míos nunca se muden!”
Reposted by Eric Michael Garcia
SCOOP: The Department of Health and Human Services has been using the term “sex-rejecting procedures” to describe gender-affirming care for transgender and nonbinary individuals.
The term is not clinical or medical. It comes from a Christian Right group.
www.importantcontext.news/p/hhs-is-usi...
The term is not clinical or medical. It comes from a Christian Right group.
www.importantcontext.news/p/hhs-is-usi...
HHS Has Been Using Anti-Trans Language From a Christian Right Think Tank
The department refers to gender-affirming care as “sex-denying procedures,” a term coined by the Ethics and Public Policy Center.
www.importantcontext.news
February 9, 2026 at 5:51 PM
SCOOP: The Department of Health and Human Services has been using the term “sex-rejecting procedures” to describe gender-affirming care for transgender and nonbinary individuals.
The term is not clinical or medical. It comes from a Christian Right group.
www.importantcontext.news/p/hhs-is-usi...
The term is not clinical or medical. It comes from a Christian Right group.
www.importantcontext.news/p/hhs-is-usi...
Reposted by Eric Michael Garcia
Control of the House isn't going to come down to a small number of close races; the military seizing ballots would lead to riots in the streets; the "incumbent Republican majority" will be dissolved on January 3rd so it won't be there to do anything.
It's a nightmare in that it's entirely made up.
It's a nightmare in that it's entirely made up.
Over the past three weeks, the "nightmare scenario" for November's midterms has grown more plausible www.vox.com/politics/478...
February 9, 2026 at 8:37 PM
Control of the House isn't going to come down to a small number of close races; the military seizing ballots would lead to riots in the streets; the "incumbent Republican majority" will be dissolved on January 3rd so it won't be there to do anything.
It's a nightmare in that it's entirely made up.
It's a nightmare in that it's entirely made up.
Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday he is moving forward with a plan to revive a prohibition on House votes to overturn President Donald Trump’s global tariffs.
www.politico.com/live-updates...
www.politico.com/live-updates...
Johnson moves to again block House from voting on Trump tariffs
Opposition from as few as two Republicans could derail the effort.
www.politico.com
February 10, 2026 at 12:44 AM
Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday he is moving forward with a plan to revive a prohibition on House votes to overturn President Donald Trump’s global tariffs.
www.politico.com/live-updates...
www.politico.com/live-updates...
Reposted by Eric Michael Garcia
5/ “I have already spent more than 60 days waking up eating the same repetitive meals…going to the doctor and that the only thing they tell you is to drink more water and the worst thing is that it seems like the water is what makes people sick here…”
From 12-year-old Ender, detained 60+ days
From 12-year-old Ender, detained 60+ days
February 9, 2026 at 12:34 PM
5/ “I have already spent more than 60 days waking up eating the same repetitive meals…going to the doctor and that the only thing they tell you is to drink more water and the worst thing is that it seems like the water is what makes people sick here…”
From 12-year-old Ender, detained 60+ days
From 12-year-old Ender, detained 60+ days
Johnson pushes on Maxwell saying that she wants clemency to talk.
“Look, I think she has an obligation to tell the truth. There's so many victims and so much harm that's been done once you're up there. I just think it's unconscionable that she's she's pleading the fifth or trying to make deals.“
“Look, I think she has an obligation to tell the truth. There's so many victims and so much harm that's been done once you're up there. I just think it's unconscionable that she's she's pleading the fifth or trying to make deals.“
February 9, 2026 at 11:56 PM
Johnson pushes on Maxwell saying that she wants clemency to talk.
“Look, I think she has an obligation to tell the truth. There's so many victims and so much harm that's been done once you're up there. I just think it's unconscionable that she's she's pleading the fifth or trying to make deals.“
“Look, I think she has an obligation to tell the truth. There's so many victims and so much harm that's been done once you're up there. I just think it's unconscionable that she's she's pleading the fifth or trying to make deals.“
Reposted by Eric Michael Garcia
Oh hell no.
this may be a radical take BUT I think we should proceed cautiously with the rushed integration of half-cooked automation into problematic business sectors in a broadly-corrupt country without functional regulatory oversight
As AI enters the operating room, reports arise of botched surgeries and misidentified body parts
Medical device makers have been rushing to add AI to their products. While proponents say the new technology will revolutionize medicine, regulators are receiving a rising number of claims of patient ...
www.reuters.com
February 9, 2026 at 9:27 PM
Oh hell no.
Thune tells me about the racist cartoon Trump posted: "I'm glad it was taken down. There’s no place for it"
February 9, 2026 at 9:05 PM
Thune tells me about the racist cartoon Trump posted: "I'm glad it was taken down. There’s no place for it"
Vibe check: ¡OJALA QUE LOS MIOS NUNCA SE MUDEN!
February 9, 2026 at 9:01 PM
Vibe check: ¡OJALA QUE LOS MIOS NUNCA SE MUDEN!